Twitter@DonnieFetter

Twitter @DonnieFetter

Columbia County commissioners approved a controversial rezoning for a new housing development in Martinez, but added conditions to the project.

The rezoning, approved at Tuesday’s commission meeting, allows developers to decrease lot sizes from 30,000 square feet to 10,000 square feet, though developers said they intend to sell 14,000-square-foot lots at the 40-acre site on Point Comfort Road.

Some area residents argued that such a development would reduce their property values.

Several Columbia County pupils recently were disciplined for incidents involving drugs, alcohol, weapons and sexual harassment.
Two Greenbrier High School students were sent to the system’s alternative school in Grovetown for prescription drug possession, according to a report released Friday of cases adjudicated by the school board hearing officer on Oct. 12 and 13.
Two other Greenbrier High students also were sent to the alternative school for the remainder of the school year for bringing weapons to school, with one of the students also bringing illegal drugs.

A Columbia County code enforcement officer received a reprimand this week after she was caught operating a home business catering to the developers and builders whose work she inspects.
Long-time employee Patti Laster was building signs for developers out of her home with her husband, said county Administrator Scott Johnson.
“That’s a conflict of interest,” Johnson said this morning. “We don’t want her working for developers on the side and inspecting them later on.”